(Ferguson).
New Jersey passed a bill authenticating chess as a unit of instruction within the elementary school curriculum. A quote from this bill states, "In countries where chess is offered widely in schools, students exhibit excellence in the ability to recognize complex patterns and consequently excel in math and science" (Ferguson).
The "Educate America Act", allow funds for chess activities. Public Law 103-227, Section 308. b.2.E "Supporting innovative and proven methods of enhancing a teacher's ability to identify students learning needs and motivating students to develop higher order thinking skills, discipline, and creative resolution methods" (Ferguson).
In a study, in Texas, regular (non-honors) elementary students that participated in chess club at school exhibited twice the improvement of the non-chess players in Reading and Mathematics.
In New Brunswick, Canada, a study was done. Using 437 fifth grade students that were split into three groups they experimented with the addition of chess to the math curriculum. The result was increased gains in math problem-solving and comprehension balanced to the amount of chess in the curriculum (Isabella, Jude).
Dr. Albert Frank conducted a study in Zaire at the Lisanga School, utilizing 92 students, age 16-18, the chess playing group or the experimental group. The first hypothesis was confirmed, there was a significant correlation between the ability to play chess well, and spatial, numerical and administrative-directional abilities and paper work abilities. Chess utilizes all the abilities of an individual. The second hypothesis was also confirmed. Learning chess has a positive influence on both numerical and verbal skills. It is shown that a large number of aptitudes all work together in chess (Ferguson).
Ferguson's initial study was "Developing Critical and Creative Thinking Through Chess". Dr. Ferguson's study was funded federally for three years. The main goal of the study was to offer thought-provoking skills that would increase the development of critical and creative thinking.
In Belgium, a chess study was done. The chess-playing experimental group of fifth graders experienced a considerable gain in cognitive development over the control group. Possibly even better, they also performed notably better in their normal school testing, as well as standardized testing administered by an exterior agency which did not know the identity of the two groups. A quote from Dr. Adreiaan de Groot: "In addition, the Belgium
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